Pump valve



L. c. HUFF PUMP VALVE Feb. 7, 1933.

2 Shee'cs-Sheerl l Filed April 21. 1926 L. c. Hur-F PUMP VALVE Feb. 7, 933.

Filed April 2l. 1926 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 rafeted Feb. 7, 1933 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE LYMN C. Hm, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS, ASSIGNB TO UNIVERSAL OIL PRODUCTS 00M- PANY, F CHICAGQ, ILLINOIS, A CORPORATION 0F SOUTH DAKOTA Pour* var .vn

Application :tiled April 21, 1926. Serial No. 108,478.-V

vThis `invention relates to improvements in pumps, and refers more particularly to a pump provided with a ball valve which is guided in its movement by a novel form of guiding member comprising spaced ngers.

More specifically, the present invention is particularly directed to a novel form of guide for a ball valve in combination with a removable closurecap over the valve port to be used either in surge blocks or directly inthe liquid end of an-oil pump.

The present invention is -particularly adapted for use in pumps handling oil heated to high temperatures.

The main advanta of the type of ball valve guide which will be described in the following specication is that it is very simple in design and permits a maximum free opening around the ball through which the liquid can pass. Heretofore, in pumps using ball valves, it has been the practice to seat the ball in a sleeve or cylinder provided with large perforations through which the oil can pass.' One of the objections to this sleeve or cylinder is that it obstructs the How of oil through the. valve seat, and in addition,-

forms pockets into which carbon and other sediment can accumulate, necessitating frequent removal of' the valves for cleaning.' The design of the present invention eliminatesthese objections, and particularly contemplates that there shall be no obstruction to the flow of oil except the narrow guide iingers which project inwardly to guide the movement of the ball.

Another desirable feature of thevpresent view on line 3-*3 of Fig. 4, and

Fig. 4 is a side elevational view, with parts in dotted lines, of a: duplex reciprocating pump.

In the drawings, and referring more particularly to Figs. 1 and 2,' 1 designates a surge 55 block or casting which may be of for ed steel or other metal. This block is provi ed with the suction inlet 2 and discharge 3. As shown in dotted lines, the suction pipe 2 extends for a considerable distance finto the casting 1. Adjacent the'opposite end from the discharge 3 is a plurality of valve ports designated diagrammatically at 4, controlled by ball valves 5 mounted i on the seats 6. These ball valves 5 are more particularl shown in Fig. 2. The seats 6 may, if desire have screw threaded engagement with the casting surrounding the valve ports 4.

Describing now as a feature of the present invention the guide and closure cap, the guide may take the form of a projection 7 terminating in the 'outwardly flaring, separated curved fingers 8. The area of curvature of the curved lingers 8 is slightly greater than the circumferential area of the ball 5 to permit ready movement of the ball in the guide but preventing excess play. `The projection 7 is preferably made as an integral part of the closure cap 9, although it is understood, of course, that they may 'be made in any number of parts and connected together, The closure cap 9 is provided with an outwardly flaring offset portion 10 on its outer side,

[which is adapted to form a shoulder seating on the shoulder or seat 11 formed in the opening above the valve port.

The arran ement is such that in assembling, the ba 5 is first placed on the seat 6 to close the valve port 4. rI`he cap 9 carrying the fingers 8 is then dropped into place, the offset shoulder 10 making contactwith the seat 11. In order to hold the cap 10 firmly in position on th'e seat to prevent chattering and wear, a screw plug 13 is screwed into the opening above the valve port until itsl inner surface contacts with the surface of the cap 9.

screwcap 13 is curved, as shown at 14, being adapted to contact a similar curved surface 15 on the closure cap 9, thus permitting contact between the two caps at substantially a center point so as to permit the closure cap 9 to adjust itself to any irregularities in the seat. A surge connection lcommunicates with the valve ports 4 on both the suction inlet and discharge. The line 17 serves as a connection to a pump.

I have referred particularly to and have described the valve ports and valves shown in the end of the surge block remote from the point of discharge, but it is obvious that the same type of valve is used-immediately adj acent the point of discharge. Therefore, I have used the same reference characters.

The course of the oil is best illustrated by the arrowsin Fig. 1. The disc forming the closure cap 9 is preferably of aluminum bronze, as is also the screw plug 13, although any other metal may be used which is found suitable.

The illustrations -in Figs. 3 and 4 are -not modiications of the ball valve guide and v closure cap, 'but are merely illustrative of the use of the-ball valve guide and closure cap of the present invention in a duplex reciprocating pump, as distinguished from a `surge block.

Briefly describing Figs. 3 and 4, 1 designates the pump casting provided with suc! tion inlet 2 and, discharge 3. As shown more particularly in Fig. 3, in a duplex pump there are two suction inlets. The suction inlets discharge the liquid through the valve ports 4', normally closed by means of the ball valve 5 held on seat 6. A projection 7 provided with curved fingers 8 is connected to a closure cap 9. This closure cap 9 has an offset shoulder portion adapted to contact with a seat in the same manner as was described in Figs. 1 and 2. A screw plug 13 is adapted tohold the closure cap 9 in place. The oil passing through the valve ports' 4 will raise the ball` valve 5 from its seat and will flow through the ducts 18,

being forced by th'e pistons 19 through the upper valve ports 4', and eventually through the discharge 3. The piston 19 is carried on the usual shaft 2O reciprocating in the casting 1. Cooling water may be introduced 4 through the inlet 21, controlled by valve 22,

to thejacket 23, being discharged through the line 24, controlled by valve 25. The usual exible packing 26 and inlet 27 for coolin liquid, controlled. by valve 28, is provide It will be instantly apparent to those skilled in this art that the .ball valve guide of they present invention permits a maximum free opening around the ball through which the liquid can pass.

In assembling, the closure cap 9 carrying the fingers 8 can be dropped into place, and the joint between it and the pump casing ground in with any tool suitable forthis purpose. After having been ground in, the faces are cleaned and the cap again inserted. The screw plug 13 is thenscrewed into place and caused to bear down on the closure cap 9, holding it in contact with the ground seat 11.

This arrangement for holding the cap 9 in place is simple and unique. It requires a minimum amount of space as compared with any method of holding the capl in place by means of a yolk bolted to the pump casing.

I have found that preferably the closure cap 9 and holding screw plug 13 should be two separate pieces so that'the closure cap 9 can be ground in separately. The point of contact between the two caps is preferably at the'center, as heretofore described.

The projection 7 may be provided with any i number of fingers, say from 4 to 8 morel or less, serving to guide the ball and keep it at all times directly over the seat.

J I claim as my invention:

1. The'combination with a casing, of a valve seat member having a port therein, a ball valve normally closing'said port, a closure cap adapted to be inserted over said port and ball, said closure cap being provided with a projection terminating in spaced guide fingers adapted to surround the ball out of contact with said seat member, said cap having removable engagement with a seatin the casing, and an auxiliary screw plug adapted to have screw-threaded engagement with the casing in 4substantial alignment with said closure cap. y

2. The combination with a casing, of a valve port therein, a ball valve normally closing said port, a closure cap adapted to be inserted over said port and ball, said closure cap being provided with a projection terminating in spaced guide fingers adapted lto surround the ball, said cap having removable engagement with a seat in the casing, and an auxiliary screw plug adapted to have screw threaded engagement with the casing, the inner surface of said screw plug being adapted to bear against the surface of the first mentioned closure cap to hold the latter on its seat.

3. The combination with a casing, of a valve port therein, a ball valve normally closing said port, a closure cap adapted to be inserted over said port and ball, said closure cap being provided with a projection terminating in spaced guide fingers adapted to surround the ball, said cap having remov-A able engagement with a seat in the casing, and an auxiliary screw plug adapted -to have screw threaded engagement with the casing, the inner surface of said screw plug being adapted to bear against the surface of the first mentioned closure cap to hold the latter on its seat, contacting surfaces of said screw plug and closure cap being curved so that contact is made at substantially a center point, permitting the closure cap to adjust itself to irregularities in the seat.

4. The combination with .a casing, a valve port therein, a ball valve normall closing said port, a closure cap adapted to be inserted over said port and ball, said closure cap being provided with a projection terminating short of said port in spaced guide fingers adapted to surround said ball, said cap having removable engagement with a seat in said casing, and a screw plug within said casing for holding said cap in engagement with its seat.

5. The combination with a casing, a plurality of valve ports in said casing, an individual opening in said casing for each valve ort, an individual closure cap insertable th closure cap having a rigid rejection terminating in spaced fingers, a all valve normally closing each valve port and surrounded by said spaced fingers, and individual means co-operating with each of said individual openings in said casing for holding said closure caps in closed position.

6; The combination with a casing, a plurality of valve ports in said casing, an individual opening in said casing for each valve port, an individual closure cap insertable through each of said openings, each of said closure caps carrying a seat, corresponding seats carried by the casing interiorally thereof, and each closure, cap havinhgna rigid projection terminating in spaced gers, a ball valve normally closing each valve port and surrounded by said spaced fingers, and individual means co-operating with each of said individual openings in said casin for said closure caps in closed position.

holdin 7. Te combination with a casing, a valve port therein, a ball valvenormall closing said rt, an opening in said caslng individua to said valve port, an individual closure ca adapted to be inserted over said ort and ba l, said closure cap being provlded With a rigid projection terminating 1n s aced guide fingers adapted to surround sai ball, said individual cap having removable engagement with an individual seat positioned interiorally of said casing, and means threadedly engaging said opening and arran ed to contact said c ap centrally thereof an hold the same in engagement with its seat.

LYMAN C. HUFF.

rough each of said openings, each j 

